Bulk meter



July 28, '1936. I L. MCCANDLESS 2,049,307

BULK METER Original Filed Feb. 3, 1933 2 Sheets-Sheet l.

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July 28, 1936. L. McANDLEss '2,049,307

BULKMETER Original Filed Feb. 3, 1933 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 4 g v////////1/////////l INVENTOR Patented July 28, 1936 UNITED STATES PATENT oFFlcE Application February 3, 1933, Serial No. 655,055

Renewed June 8, 1936 6 Claims.

This invention relates to iluid meters and more particularly meters commonly referred to in the trade as bulk meters such as may be employed `on pipe lines at reneries and at bulkhandling stations.

It is among the objects of the invention to provide a meter construction in which the iiow control valve is actuated by mechanism connected through the discharge side of the meter whereby the need for fluid packings is dispensed with and the operating mechanism is greatly simplified by the elimination of parts.

AA further object of the invention is the provision of a mechanical linkage connecting the valve and measuring pistons in such manner that the timing of the valve is positively controlled in relation to the piston movements.

Another object of the invention is the provision of piston valves for fluid meters which are especially adapted for high pressure use as such valves are pressure balanced on all sideswhich is not the case in the more commonly utilized slide or rotary valves.

These and other objects of the invention will become more apparent from a consideration of the accompanying drawings constituting a part thereof in which like reference characters designate like parts and in which:

Figure lis a cross-sectional view of a fluid meter embodying the principles of this invention;

Figure 2 a cross-sectional view taken along the lines II-II of Figure 1'; I

Figure `3 a cross-section taken along the lines III-III of Figure 1; and

Figure 4 a cross-sectional View of a modified form of valve.

With reference to Figures 1 to 3 inclusive of the drawings, the structure therein illustrated comprises a meter housing I having a hollow casting 2 secured thereto by bolts 3, the casting constituting a valve chestor compartment and having a central cored out portion 4 through which a meter shaft 5 projects for connecting the meter with a registeringor indicating mechanism (not shown).

The housing I is provided with a webv portion 1 6 Vintegrally formed therewith which is bored out for receiving a sleeve 'l in whichis mounted a crank shaft 8 journalled by anti-friction bear.- ings 9. The interiorof the housing Iris provided with a plurality of cylinders I0, there being four cylinders arranged in pairs with their axes in parallel relation for receiving a plurality of piston members Il, there being fa pair of such pistons in each of the cylinder bores, each pair of pistons being joined by a yoke I2 to which they are securedby cap bolts I3.

The yokes I2 are provided with elongated slots Ill in which a crank pin I5 is disposed for move- 5 ment, the pin moving back and forth axially in the slot I4 in response to movement of the piston members II as will be hereinafter explained in connection with the description of the operation of the meter. The cylinders IU are preferably l provided with liners Ia of a non-corroding metal such as brass or stainless steel,` andthe piston elements II are provided with metal packing rings II'.

The parallel pistons II are connected through l their yokes I2 by a plurality of cranks I6, Figures 1 and 2, the cranks being actuated through the crank pins I5 operating in the slots I4. Cranks I6 are provided with integral eccentrics I'I which cooperate with yokes I8 of levers I9 20 that extend upwardly into the Valve chamber and engage connecting pins of valves 2|. The cranks I6 are connected to the ends of the shaft 8 which carries a gear wheel 22 to rotate the meter shaft 5.

Pistons II are provided with extensions Ila which constitute abutments that engage stops IIb in cylindrical recesses which determine the length of the piston stroke independently of the connected crank mechanism. Sufficient clearance is provided for the crank pin connection with the yokes to permit full length of travel of pistons. 'Stop IIa is provided with a cylindrical portion Ilc that enters cylindrical recess Ild to provide a dash-pot effect which prevents jarring of pistons II at end of stroke.

In Figures 1 and 2 of the drawings, the valves 2l are illustrated as slide valves consisting of a lower part 23 which controls valve passages 24 and 25 that communicate with the cylinder 40 chambersV IU, and an upper portion 26 which is biased by a coil spring 2l to hold it in contact with a slide or' pressure plate 28.

A sealing annulus 29 is tted into grooves 29a provided in the members 23 and 26 to prevent 45 the fluid of the valve chamber entering between the two halves 23 and 26 of the slide valve.

With reference to Figure 3 of the drawings, the reference numeral 30 designates the inlet flow connection for the meter, and 3I the de- 50 livery connection, inlet 30 communicating with valve chamber 32, Figure 2, and the 'delivery passage 3l communicating with the portion of the chamber of cylinders I0 between the piston element II and all of the interior in` which the 5'5 side vnecting the valve 2| with the measuring pistons f is disposed on the discharge side of the meter so that no parts are provided-on the pressure side which would necessitate a more complex construction and require the use of fluid packing as; in the prior art devices.' Y In Figure lof the drawings, a pistonvalve is shown in place of the slide valve `2| which 0perates in precisely the same manner as the slide. valve of Figures l to 3,v the piston valve beingW :duid .displaced by pistonsV preferred Awhere fluid is measured under relatively high pressures as such av valve will be pressure balanced on all sides resulting "in lesserV wear and longer life of the parts..

The piston type of Yvalve comprises a cylin-H drical form of valve chamber 33 in which` is disposed the piston 34 having a pin connection'lSS" with the lever 19, the same asV the slide .valve ofiFgure 2"of theV drawings, .and the Viiowfpassages 36 are the equivalent ofv passages v2li .and 25 establishing communication with the measuring cylinders meter. Y l

The above described mechanism operates briey'asfollows: AWiththe inlet 3|) of themeter connected to a pumpingfrsystem ory other source of`uidpressure and withv lvalve 2| positioned `in `s'uch-'manner as topartly open the fluid passage 24, 'the uid willl iiow to the front of one Y of-the piston elements H' causing its displace-V ment into cylinder l), and any fluid inthe cylinder'chamber of the complementary piston element will be displaced through the valvev pas- K sage- 25ftol the interior or delivery side of'valve V2| from which itpasses through lthe discharge opening 3| to a service line orcontainer. While the 'piston l|| is moving'longitudinally in cylinder chambers l, the crank pin l5 will' be subjected to angular movement through itsengagement with'the slots i4 of the yoke randgcause shaft 8' to be Vrotatedsimultaneouslywith the movement of crank I6. The eccentrics "l'lwiwill actuate levers Vlto cause a corresponding movement of the valves 2| in positive timed relation With the movement of the piston element so that when theV piston has Vtraversed one half of its stroke, theva'lve passages Z 'and v25 will be wideopenica'using va maximumvflow ofthe fluid to and from' the meter. The pina'ndslot engagement'betweenrvalve andv pistons' permit seatinggof the piston against the abutting stops lllb before movement-ofV thevalve 2| is'finterrupted. As shown in Figure 1 of'thejdrawings, cranks vlli varep ap'art so that when, one 'set of lpis-Y tons is on dead 'center as-shown in Figure 2, 'the other set is operative to cause rotation lof the cranks'l and consequently the connected valve mechanism whereby a substantially uniformvolume of Vhuid passes through the meter at all times.v Y Y The construction ofthe movable parts issu'ch thatminium wear-will result from the operation f the device `as all of the movable elements are designedV to Yhave maximumv contacting surfaces whereby a minimum amount of strainl concentrated thereon.

As previously explained, t-he rvalve chamber Y `connected-tofthe inlet ,connectionv 43|] Yso that it isda't'all. times lled with vfluid-underl pressuregand: the :pressure acting all aroundV the valve' 'lywill 'not causeianyxexcessi pr'es'sure .fon

of. the invention that a and`V the delivery chamber of the any of its contacting sides which in prior art devicesresulted in excessive wear.

with the employment of the piston valve disclosed in Figure 4, the valve Vis uniformly balanced in the fluid which is desirable where fluids are measured under high pressures such as in Y bulk meters.

As the piston elements V|| are actuated back Y and forth through; voperation of .the valves 2|, theV metersha'ft f5 is actuated throughA crank shaft'lS bytheconnecting gears 22, and as the Y meter shaft is connected Stoa register orindieating mechanism (not shown) the amount of Y will be registeredV by such mechanism.Y Y Y It is evident from the foregoing Vdescription 1 -meter of the characterY `tlzlereindescribed is of rugged mechanical construction,embodies a minimum number of mechanic'al parts, and is positive in its .operation-20- particularly in maintaining Afaccuratej timing iof the' valve with `the piston.movement.V Also, by operatingl the valve mechanism throughlinkage disposed rthe Ydischarge pressure side Vof thev system, leakage resulting from packings and 25 where it is desirable to produce av timed 'move-VV Y ment between piston elements lor other actuating part and a valve mechanism, as for 'examplefas Y insteam-*engines or' the like. Y Y Y Although. one embodiment of the invention has been .hereinillustrated andV described, it Will-be obvious to those skilled-in the-art that variousmodications may befmade in the 'details oconstructionwithout departing from the principles Vhereinset forth.VV 'Y 1 V-Icla'imrvr ki1. A meter for measuring uidsV comprisingY a l plurality of cylinder chambersr having a valve chamber kwith `valvejpas'sages in `communication therewith Va'ndmhaving"stopA abutments in axial ali-nement, *a *piston element comprising *two pistons joined by a "slotted yoke, said lpistons VVbeing "movable ink said cylindersbetweensaid abutments, a va1ve'='cont'rolling Vtheflow of Vfluid through saidV valve passages operable. to cause" the: how fof fluidfromfa `pressure source'Y to one side, .of .the piston ,element While permitting 'the discharge of fluid ffromythe other `side of said piston' element to a discharge Y chamber; actuating'mechanism for said valve 'connected to saidY Y piston element, Vsaidmechanism comprising a rocking lever,an eccentric in cooperative 'engagement therewith, anda crank shaft having'a crank for 'actuating said eccentric, lsaid Vcrank having a lostmotion connection with thepiston element consisting of a pin operatively'disposed in said' slot 'provided Ain said piston'element Y wllerelrlryfl saidlevefr' isfoscill'ated in response to 6 movementof's'aid pistons 'in'their cylinders and the pistons abutthe stops while the valve-.con-

tinues" to move.

v2, .Ak 'metering device formeasuringV uids 'com- Y prisinga plurality ofcylinders' having their .axes

disposed'in fparallelrelation and having 4each a Y piston member `disposed therein, saidffmembers comprisingeach a'pair of pistons jonvdby-'yokes toV renderfathem simultaneously movable in pairs,YV adjustableabutments for said pistons, valves-controlling the flow of uid to and from said piston cylinders, and actuating mechanism for said valves comprising levers having pivotal engagement with the valves and being disposed within the delivery chamber of said meter, eccentrics for actuating said levers, a crank shaft for actuating said levers having said eccentrics mounted thereon and having cranks provided with pins disposed for movement in transverse slots provided in said piston yokes, whereby, upon reciprocating movement of said pistons, the cranks are subjected to angular movementV causing said eccentrics to actuate the levers to operate the valves in timed relation with the movements of said piston members and so that the flow control valves are movable after a pair of pistons, whose operations they respectively control, are resting against their abutments.

3. A metering device for measuring fluids comprising a housing having a plurality of cylinders with their axes in parallel relation and a plurality of piston members disposed in spaced relation within said cylinders, yokes connecting Vsaid piston members, a shaft disposed between said cylinders, cranks connecting said yokes and shaft, said shaft having eccentrics thereon, a plurality of valves controlling the flow of fluid to and from said cylinders, top and bottom guides for said valves, levers connecting said valves and engaging the eccentrics of said cranks, a meter shaft disposed with its axes at right angles to said crank shaft and having gear tooth conlnection therewith, said valves being constructed to maintain contact at their top and bottom with said guides and being subjected to equal pressures on the sides thereof.

4. A metering device for measuring uids comprising a plurality of cylinders having piston members operatively disposed therein and having piston valves cooperating with said cylinders to control the flow of fluid through the I meter, operating mechanism for rendering said piston valves operative in response to reciprocating movement of the pistons in said cylinders comprising rocker arms, a crank shaft having eccentrics engaging said arms and having cranks engaging the measuring pistons, said valves controlling the ow of fluid through the fluid passages in timed relation with the movement of the pistons in the measuring cylinders and being exposed to fluid pressure at their ends only.

5. A metering device for measuring fluids, comprising a plurality of parallel measuring cylinders having each a piston disposed therein, spacing members for said pistons providing a space between the heads of said pistons and having slots therein, valves controlling the ow passages to and from said measuring cylinders, levers connected to said valves, a crank shaft having a plurality of cranks and having eccentrics for engaging said levers, and crank pins for said cranks disposed in the slots of the piston spacing members, said crank pin connections being provided with clearance to permit full length of travel of the piston elements in their cylinders without interference by the valve actuating mechanism, and said valve actuating mechanism including the lever, eccentric, cranks and pins, being wholly disposed within the space between the piston heads.

6. A uid measuring meter comprising a meter housing having pairs of cylinders with their axes in parallel spaced relation, a valve housing mounted on said meter housing and communieating therewith, a central web integral with the meter housing extending vertically downward into the housing, a sleeve mounted in said web for supporting anti-friction bearings, a crank shaft disposed through sai-d sleeve and mounted in said bearings, a plurality of eccentrics mounted on said shaft, rocker arms engaged by the eccentrics and extending into the valve housing, valves connected to the rocker arms, pistons in the meter housing loosely connected to the cranks of said crank shaft and a counter shaft geared to said crank shaft to be operative in response to movement of the pistons, said meter housing having its cylinders open at both ends and communicating in pairs, an inlet passage for the iiow of fluid to the valve housing, and an outlet passage from the valve housing to the chamber between each pair of pistons.

LYON MCCANDLESS. 

